Familiars
by ELFINA01
Summary: Sarah Ashcroft was ordinary teenage girl, until one day her world gets turned up side down. When she discovers the world of witches, vampires, demons and the legacy of familiars. Then a strange tattoo appears on her wrist giving her the destiny of the one she is chosen to protect.
1. Chapter 1

_Today started out just like any other day my corn ball brother was siting at the table making moo, moo faces and placing his fingers on his cheeks so he could roll his eyes in the back of his head. He would quit for a moment just to do it all over again. Yep that's my brother Milton Ashcroft, nine years old and a total pain in the but. What can I say about my younger brother he is... well... Mr. perfect, mom and dad's crowning jewel. _

_Already popular in school and starting his second year in football and baseball, Milton has it made. I could picture him when he started high school with his blond hair and emerald greens with the natural tan that we all sported ow yeah major jock all the way. Mom rushing down the hallway with her sandy brown hair wrap in a bun was very neat and orderly dress in her black skirt and rich purple blouse and matching black blazer business jacket. _

_"Sarah have you seen my keys?" Mom asked walking over towards the table her gray eyes taking quick glance and moving the cereal around. "You put them in the dish on the stand by the door." Looking down at her watch mom rolled her eyes looking back over at Milton who wipe his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt. "Milton honey we have go we're going to be late." Getting up from the table Milton made one more face at me before he followed my out of the house. _

_Grabbing my books and my own set of house keys I made my way to the large growing line outside my house when the school bus pulled up. Getting on was know big adventure finding a place to sit was. Every seat that I turned to someone would shake their head and say. "Sorry, nope, moving along loser or this seats taken." _

_About halfway down the isles I did mange to get lucky when Ryan smile at me and slid over. Whose Ryan? Well he's just my best friend since like the third grade and my biggest protector to bad he doesn't see me as anything more than just a sister. When our bus pulled up to Whites oaks High School my shoulders slump, today we would be taking our SAT's next year everyone that I knew including myself would be moving on to collage._

_The bell was ringing and I knew that I should get inside all the other kids with their loud obnoxious hoots and hollers and those who rushed past me not really caring if I got trampled ended pushing me off to the side away from the school doors. Who am I. You ask? I'm Sarah Ashcroft the simpleton who lives next door or the wall flower that most guys forgets to even asks to dance. My inner circle of friends well who am I kidding there is only Ryan and Megan._

_ The rest of the kids at my school only acknowledge me when I either get sat on or push aside. It's not like I'm a freak or nothing I've always been shy and distant. I have long flowing chestnut brown hair with red highlights after my father and my mothers gray eyes. My frame is better then most because I like staying in shape, but I'm no Kisten Steward or _Cassi Thomson. I'm worse I'm the girl next door.

The last bell rang again and I was alone getting ready to go inside when the hairs on my neck began prickling upwards and a low humming, a faint ringing sounded in my ears growing louder and louder becoming deafening until the sounds change to footsteps slow steady footsteps. One shoe or boot striking the asphalt pavement, one sole at a time. Scanning the road and even the neighboring trees I couldn't see anybody but when I turned back towards the road the footsteps stop.

And my heart took off beating in my chest I could feel someone watching me even though I didn't know where they was at. Whoever it was, was studying me one inch at time and the hairs on my neck and arm prickled even more. With my heart slamming into my chest and grasping the door nob I heard the steady footsteps striking the pavement again and the slow long whistle.


	2. The Tattoo

Being in such a hurry to get inside my face planted into Mr. Eggleston chest. Lucky me he's our vice principal. "Sarah aren't you suppose be in class?" Looking back to the door my shoulders slumped. "Yes sir."

"Go and get a tardy slip." He ushered. "And Sarah..."

"Yes Mr. Eggleston." I replied already heading for the office feeling the urge to bang my head against the wall a few times. Nothing like getting chewed out to make one's day.

"Watch where you're going next time."

Anyways where was I... oooh right, my first period class with Mr. Jenkins...aka creepy Jenkins whose giving us the SAT's. He's every girl's worst nightmare, because he is such a pervert...they should really call him tits pervert. With the way his attention drifts towards your breasts or coming to stand beside you so he can gawk at your other mentionables. God forbid you dropped a pencil. Why I even heard Angela say creepy Jenkins groped her butt.

Two rows down from my seat in the back was my arch nemesis and all time rival. She has teased and taunted me as far back as I can remember and also happens to be the school's most popular cheerleader, as if that doesn't say it all. Melanie Griffin she's every red blooded males dream. They all want to date her and every girl who's anybody or striving to climb that popular social latter wants to be her. Slender tiny frame that most girls turns anorexic to achieve sat broodingly at her desk picking at the invisible lint off her cheer-leading skirt. Long flowing perfect platinum blond hair laid loosely against the emerald and golden halter. Bright sparkling sea blue eyes and a tan she obviously could afford flickered then rolled as soon as she seen me. Yep you guessed it, Melanie was going to be the next senior prom queen.

Three rows to the right is our hometown hero Garrett Coleman all star quarterback. Super bad ass jock extraordinaire that's been playing ball probably from his mother's womb. With a slight shake of his sandy blonde hair and a bellowing laugh as Eric made a joke. Garrett was another Ken barbie in the making, assuming of course Melanie would go to homecoming with him. Girls in our school drooled over his very name with that dreamy look lighting their faces. Buffed from the neck down with harden muscles over every inch of that delectable body from hours and hours of practice, he could have any pick of the lot, myself included. But sad to say guys this hot always seems to know it and just don't blend with girls like me.

The seat in front of me is Megan Whitfield, my best friend, partner in crime and the closest to a sister that I ever had. Since childhood her mom started watching me after my father passed away. It was hard back then being cast off by my mother. Dad's death was too much for her to handle and she had Milton to contend with. I was just an afterthought. Mom Pushed me onto the Whitfield's a little at a time after the accident and Megan and I grew to be very close. We would tell each other anything and everything and often hung out at the mall. But here lately she has been running with Melanie now that she's dating Zachary Marshall. Whose Zack you ask? He is the running back of the football team and my best friends newest heart throb.

The morning dull hours passed the same as any other morning. With my SAT's finished along with any other assignments that needed caught up when the lunch bell for seniors rang. There's nothing like having someone slam into your shoulder as they make a mad dash to the cafeteria mixed with a bunch of oops... sorry... didn't see you. Right like how could you miss me, I'm walking people... not standing right here! Two seconds later someone else did the exact same thing, man high school sucks!

With a mile high line that wraps almost around from the caf towards the gym getting lunch took forever. Grabbing a tray with salad that can't possibly fill a person up and guaranteeing the lunch lady couldn't ruin, I elbowed and shuffled outside to get to my favorite spot under one of the shade trees. To my left some of the football players were practicing maneuvers on the field. At the picnic table a cluster of chatty girls gathered flirtatiously watching the guys. An Ipod whaling second chance by Shinedown blasted throughout the patio inclosure.

A low ringing in my ears started as a faint annoying buzzing hum, like you get when a few brain cells die. Unable able to ignore the vibration and carefully laying my fork down rubbing at the irritating spot, the ringing grew louder, bolder drowning out all other sounds. Suddenly in a deafening fog that left me lightheaded I couldn't hear the other kids or music. Just as fast as it started the ringing stopped, replaced by a long singular whistling. It was a sound that appeared only I could hear judging by the scattered playfully faces that were blatantly unaware.

"What the hell?" Couldn't they hear it? Why was everyone acting like they didn't, it just didn't make since. The chilling hair raising tune couldn't be? No I shook my head in denial. That couldn't be right, but it was, that sounded, that ominous tune was a funeral death march. It was the same that I heard from this morning increasing in volume and strength.

A creepy unnerving shiver wound it's way up my spine, it felt as though someone with cold calculating eyes were watching me. The hairs on my neck stood straight up on ends, prickling my skin as my eyes fervently searched the road. Familiar clicking boots at least I think they was boots began vibrating with each and every slow step on the asphalt. Everywhere I looked I saw my fellow classmates or a vacant street, not the owner of those imaginary boots.

My heartbeat raced and my palms grew damp and sweaty as I wipe them on my jeans looking towards the road. Then it happened again someone whistling the final death march. The fiery burning on my wrist snapped me back to the world around me, as scorching, burning pain snaked around my wrist. Looking down it felt as though someone was branding me with a white fiery iron or scalding the tender skin with hot boiling oil. Pulling back the sleeve of my shirt the smell of putrid burning flesh assault my sinuses making me choke and gag. I could've swore there was even smoke stemming around my wrist. Rubbing the spot made matters worse, fanning the invisible flames causing it to spread like tendrils.

Jumping up in panic at the blisterous sensations and running to the nearest bathroom, I ran my arm and wrist under the cold spraying water. But it didn't help no matter how long I stood there it didn't help. A few girls that came into the bathroom gave me odd looks and stepped around snickering and pointing.

"Please you have to help." I begged as their eyebrows lifted up in question, a few seconds later they hastily rushed out. Wrapping my wrist in the hem of my shirt and running out of the bathroom and towards the nurses office, my voice quivered "Please I need help."

"You got that right...There she goes White Oaks town freak." Melanie laughed behind me snatching Megan's arm and pulling her away, even though she seemed worried. Just not concerned enough to to see what was wrong or to leave Melanie's side.

When I entered the nurses office Mrs. Johnson stepped out from behind a blue felt curtain from a small examining room. Seeing my distress and tears pouring down my cheeks she came over to my side.

"It started burning." I hoarsely choked, wiping the back of my good hand over my eyes. "I was sitting under a tree at lunch and...and...and it just started burning." Shoving my wrist at her Mrs. Johnson slowly inspected it, letting her eyes travel the full length of my arm and wrist. The school nurse started laughing, my god the woman was actually laughing at me.

"Sarah calm down you're suppose to have pain shortly after getting a tattoo." She chuckled letting go of my wrist and walking over to the mini frig pulling out an ice pack.

"A tattoo...a tattoo! I didn't get a tattoo" I hysterical cried, looking down as though my wrist belonged to someone else.

"Well ink doesn't lie and that's definitely a tattoo." She said patting the heated spot. Laying on my skin in a maze of complicated designs and flowing of webs that interlocked together resembled a double shape ace of spades. Like what you would see in a deck of playing cards. It also had a similar appearance of medical symbol on the nurse's office door. The way the vines like spider webbing branch out, the only thing missing was a two headed snake coiled around a pole. The outer part of the tattoo was more like a dagger, while the inner had more of a heart shape diamond spade look. In the center of that was a vine mass with what could be describe as an all seeing eye, like what you would find on a dollar bill. The circular part of the handle wrapped more around my wrist, while the sharp tip of the blade pointed towards my heart. When turned upside down it reminded of a tree or some kinda of bush. God the thing looked freakish! Somehow the black ink had burned it way through my skin and the eye was looking back up at me.

Seriously this couldn't be happening to me, my mom was going to wig out. What was I going to tell her, that it just mysteriously appeared? Right like she would believe that one! No Mrs. Johnson had to be mistaken, the damn thing couldn't be real...it just couldn't be.

"Don't you have to go see someone in order to get a tattoo?" I asked in a state of shock, groaning inwards. I felt like more of a freak then normal and this...this wasn't normal. Not even by Melanie's standards. This tattoo would be one more reason to hassle me, not that she ever needed one, but this would be the icing on the cake.

Mrs. Johnson look at me thoughtfully, as her fingers brushed over the raised ink markings. Maybe it dawned on her that I wasn't joking or pulling a prank.

"Ummm let me see." She said quietly as she walk over to the file cabinet and opening the drawer. Pulling out a very thick worn brown leather bound book, that was wrap in parchment, Mrs. Johnson looked skeptical at first, as though she was debating on whether or not to show me when she returned to where I was standing. Opening the binding as though it held all the hidden answers to my questions, her fingers quickly skim through the pages, then stop about half way through the book.

" Ahh here it is." She smiled slowly raising head, and pushing her glasses up further on her nose. Then with an age withered hand she gestured to the chair for me to sit as she pulled the chair out along side of me and did the same.

"Most people get tattoo's done at tattoo shops or knows of someone who is an artist that can do it for them." She rambled pointing towards a tattoo in the book. "But back hundreds of years ago, it was believed that one could be chosen to wear a special mark, revealing the person or being they was destine to protect.

"You call this a special mark? It takes up a good portion of my arm...

"Yes...yes I know." Mrs. Johnson interrupted "However those who received the mark were called Familiars. It's only legend of course." She paused running her fingers smoothly over the thin worn pages. "It says those who are chosen to receives the mark carries the symbols with them. To not only offer protection to the ones that they are to serve, but to act as a warning to their foes. Letting the wearer see all the hidden dangers that one would not be able to see with their own eyes, but with the eyes of a familiar. Other Familiars are able to identify each other by the signalling of the tattoo. Whatever that means." Mrs. Johnson said hastily closing the book and removing her glasses.

"Now let me see that wrist again." She said sounding more curious. Lifting my arm and placing my wrist in her outstretched hands, she carefully examine it. Letting her fingertips stroke almost petting the designs. As though the tattoo knew her, warm tingling sensations roped around my wrist with a static electricity charge in welcome. The feeling was comforting, inviting as her finger rubbed the spot.

"This almost looks Celtic. Are you sure that your not lying about getting a tattoo?" Her eyes wavered as she glanced at my wrist.

"I swear! My mom is going to kill me when she sees this." I could already picture it, my mom getting home for work taking one look at the tattoo, then instantly going for my throat. "I told you not until you were eighteen! "This is crazy." I whispered back at the nurse.

Mrs. Johnson shrugged her shoulders. "It's magic my dear... just magic!" She added matter of factly. Standing up she handed me the book like I would know what to do with it. "This is for you, make sure you study it and study it well. So you will know what to do when the time comes." As she turned her head gazing at the clock her face scrunched up.

"Ahhh would you look at the time. I'm afraid we spent longer discussing your tattoo than I thought possible. The bell has already rung and all the other students have gone home for the day."

Turning my head so fast towards the clock, I thought I was going to give myself whiplash, the clock read four. "That's not possible. I just came in during the lunch period!" I frantically said trying to wrap my head over the lost time.

"Sarah time has no meaning when it comes to magic...the world just simply goes on.

" But...but I just came in a few minutes ago. I didn't even hear the last bell." I stuttered feeling dazed and apprehensive because I had to walk home.

"Is their someone you want to call to give you a ride home?" Shaking my head no, knowing that mom was still at work I gave Mrs. Johnson a weak smile.

"No I better get home, Milton is waiting for me." Picking up the book I hurried out the front doors of the school.

The walk home was different, way different then what I'm used to. No worries of a group of girls ready to jump me and beat me to a pulp as I turned the corner. Oooh no this ranks right up there to the strange and unexplained weird kinda thing. Where you might want to call ghost hunters or the paranormal investigators. It started with a white and black splotchy short haired kitty. A few steps later a gray and white tiger stripe tabby, then a few more steps a calico. No wait a minute, a solid black male. Then another kitty and another, with the rear being a orange and white. What was going on? When I turned around more and more cats and kittens was trailing just a few footsteps behind me. It seem the whole neighborhood feline friends was going to walk me home. Some were darting between my legs running out in front of me. I can't count the number of times where I nearly tripped over them. A calico swiped at the bottom of my right pant leg jeans trying to get my attention or maybe it was just asserting itself when I nearly stepped on the one by my left foot.

I was about three blocks away from my house when the ringing in my ears started. Over the loud caterwauling of the different cats around me, it was like they could hear it too because they quickly scamper away. Their meows was lost to the steady streaming of whistling that seem to be all around me along with footsteps.

Stopping in my tracks my eyes scanned both sides of the street, seeing nothing. With my heart thumping wildly in my chest and the heavy thumping of boots hitting the pavement, my legs shot out in front of me into a full run. The strange tattoo on my wrist felt they way it did with Mrs. Johnson. Flowing with warmth, alive with electricity as though it knew the approaching stranger. The hairs on my neck and arms prickled, a growing need of self preservation screamed for me to run and that's what my body did. The faster I ran the louder and closer the footsteps seem to be.

Then if possible a rich deep baritone voice sent icy chills down my spine. "Sarah...Sarah Ashcroft... I'm coming for you." The male voice called out again. "Sarah. I know you can hear me Sarah..."

I looked in every direction but saw no one, but that voice that damn voice continued to keep calling my name, like it knew where I was. As I ran by the neighbors house, past the barking dogs in the fenced in yard. My hands blindly reached for the doorknob as I cleared the second step of the porch. When my feet reached the top step I jerked the door open with enough force that it went crashing into the wall. With both hands holding firmly on the wood I quickly slammed the door shut, like Satan would cross the threshold. My fingers shook while my chest burned as I locked it, trying to create a barrier between me and my stalker. I gulped in strangled breaths of air while I stood on my tip toes peeking out the window.


	3. Crescent Moons

Standing on my tip toes and looking out the front door window on the other side was a man dress in a black trench coat walking down the sidewalk . He must have known that I was watching him because he stop and turned around and our eyes lock together. The trench coat was long and flowing stopping almost by his shoes, the black hat that he wore was angle to the side of his head. He had long blackish white pepper hair and his eyes was almost the color of silver which startle me even more.

In his right hand he carried a long brown wooden cane that had a figure of a snake head with beady green eyes and a long tail that wrap around the full length of the cane but the snake head with piercing fangs was used for a handle. Pressing myself even closer to the door my heart pounded wildly out of control in my chest and my body shook with fear.

I couldn't guess how old he was but he seem to be around moms age, the long scar that cut across from his left eye was jagged and wide he was frightening just to look at. Tipping the bridge of his hat in my direction with a twisted up smile that crease into his mustache and almost talking in my head he left me with these chilling parting words. "I'll see you soon Sarah."

What a minute this guy knows my name? I don't know which is worse the fact that he knows my name or the fact that he knows where I live. Shuddering inside I watch him slowly walk away twirling the cane in his hand and repeating the same long whistling tune that I had been hearing off and on all day. My attention to the stranger was broken when I felt something cold and wet land on the back of my head and hearing Milton laughing behind me.

Turning around he was holding a water gun which he was more than happy to fire again spraying me in the face this time. Aargh... Milton stop it. I'm going to tell my mom." I threaten using the palm of my hand to wipe away any remaining water, when Milton spotted the tattoo on my wrist. "Ooooh your going to be in trouble." He gasp out grabbing a hold of my wrist. "Wait until mom see this."

Awww Milton please don't say nothing to mom. This ...this crazy thing appeared." I stutter really worried now, Milton was right mom was going to kill me. Letting go of my wrist and walking into the living room Milton's head lean first to the right then to the left teeter tottering back and forth from side to side.

"Fine." He said stopping and looking me over with a devilish grin on his face. "I won't tell mom, but you have to do all of my chores for a month. He said sheepishly knowing full well the little toad had the upper hand. "And you have to tell me how you got it. " His emerald green eyes flashed and twinkle with amusement over my discomfort.

Going to stand by the coat closet and taking out his back pack, he pulled out his green-bay Packers bandanna and walk over to the couch. Using his knee as a stand he began folding it bringing the two opposite sides together where it look like a triangle then he tucked and folded it together some more.

Then taking the bandanna wrapping it and over laying it on my wrist leaving me to gawk at him in silence while Milton tied it off. "There that should do it, now when mom comes home she won't even notice it." He said smiling back at me. Okay now spill, how did you get the tattoo?" The look on his face said he wasn't going to let me off the hook that easy, biting my lip I look nervously at my brother.

" Your not going to believe me, even when I tell you. Raising his eyebrow Milton study me for a moment with that devilish grin that only got bigger on his lips. "Just try me, as long as you swear and I mean pinky swear to tell the truth I'll believe you." Rolling my eyes I extended my pinky to his. "I pinky swear."

Walking into the kitchen and pulling out the hamburger meat from the refrigerator. I told Milton about the strange events that happen at school. He jump up on the counter while I was fixing diner, we was having spaghetti tonight one of Milton's favorite foods. And I explained what happen at the picnic area of the food court at school. How my wrist started burning he eye me skeptically at first listening to every detail then jump off the counter and ran into the living room.

When he came back he was holding the book that the school nurse Mrs. Johnson had given me. Opening the book about half way his eyes flickered across the pages and shock cross his face as he began reading out loud. "It says here, Familiars would appear in numerous forms, often as an animal, but also at times as a human or humanoid figure, and were described as "clearly defined, three-dimensional." Shaking his head Milton's eyes briefly met mine then flicker back to the book and began reading again. "Their forms, vivid with color and animated with movement and sound" by those alleging to have come into contact with them.

_When they served witches or their vampire masters, they were often thought to be evil minded, while when working for cunning folks they were often thought of as compassionate, although there was some uncertainty__ in both cases. The ancient Familiars were often categorized as being evil or bad demons while the latter were more commonly thought of and described as being innocent and good fairies._

_The main purpose of familiars is to serve the witch or young witch or vampire. The service the familiar would provide would be to protect the new witch coming into his or her new powers or to serve and protect their vampire or their masters from any and all outside threats." Lifting his head up Milton look at me and his voice grew very quiet, while I was breaking the noodles and placing them in the pot._

_ "Uh-oh Sarah there's a picture of a tattoo it's the same one that you have." He said quietly but I didn't miss the way Milton's voice shook or the slight tremble in it. "Does this mean your going to change and I don't know uh be bad or something?" _

" _No I don't think so. I mean I still feel like me. I don't think there is really anything different, besides if there was would I be making you your favorite diner?" Mixing the noodles with the sauce, when I was finished I went to stand beside him and I saw where Milton eyes fell on the book. Turning the book around so that I could get a better look at the tattoo. _

_It did look the same as the one that I had, but I couldn't let on just how much it creep me out for Milton's sake. Taking the book from his clutch hands and helping him down Milton took off down the hallway to wash up for supper when mom got home. " Sarah where's your brother?" Mom said as she poke her head into the kitchen. Walking into the dining room and placing the hot spaghetti down mom rolled her eyes at me when she seen what I had made. _

_"He's washing up for supper." I explained laying out the plates and silverware on the table. Milton came running into the room throwing his arms around mom's neck. _

_Going back into the kitchen and grabbing the hand toss salad and garlic bread I carried them back out to the dining room. When we all sat down at the table moms mouth turn down into a frown. "Sarah how can you feed Milton this?" She gesture with her hands over the table. "But I like it." He whined out snatching the garlic bread and spooning out the spaghetti onto his plate. _

_Rolling her eyes at me again I excuse myself from the table and ran to my room laying on the bed crying. Things was so different before dad died, it seem at times that mom hated me because I couldn't do anything right. As much as I loved my brother at time I got sick of hearing " Sarah why can't you be more like Milton or Sarah you have to be more responsible with Milton. _

_Argh these was just one of those times when I wish dad was around, in just a few months I would be eighteen and on my own and I was counting the days. Somewhere from crying I fell asleep, at first I saw shapes and different colors. Then the dream change and I could see crescent moons and swirling flames along with stars in the most perfect order. It was like looking up into space and seeing the brightness of the stars and galaxies. _

_The position in which they laid I had the distinct feeling this order was important. Then the stars disappeared and a face emerge he was about my age dark hair the deepest brown eyes that look so sad and lost that your heart would go out for and you would do anything just to see those eyes light up. The guy from my dreams was running, running as though his life depended on it and always looking back over his shoulders, he was being chase by something or someone was after him._

_ The person doing the chasing look as though he was about six foot tall with greasy looking blond hair but what scared me the most was his eyes, they were black pools voided of any color just blacken. He was chasing the face that I had seen earlier, lightening flash hot and brightly in his hands crackling with electricity that spark off of the narrow alley walls. _

_The whistling that I had heard from when I was awake started again in my dreams as though the stranger was haunting me. But my eyes was glued to the boy who was running. "Time is running out Sarah. Go to him." The voice urged. Looking where the boy was running and looking at his surroundings I knew where he was at. The voice pushed even harder. "He needs your help or he will die." The voice shouted waking me up. _

_With my heart slamming hard and fast into the walls of my chest. I leaned over the bed slipping on my tennis shoes as fast as I could. Opening my window and edging myself onto the roof and looking down at the ground below I jump. As soon as my feet touch the ground my legs shot out from under me in a dead run. I was pushing them faster then I had when I competed in the race at my school when dad was alive. _

_My breaths was coming out in spurts as I ran through the town of White Oaks leaping and jumping over puddles making big splashing sounds as my feet hit the puddles. Dodging in between the tree lines and the nearby alleys and around the different building it felt as though I was being guided almost driven to find whoever it was I was looking for. _

_With my chest heaving and sweat beading up and coating my skin my eyes look frantically searching in a sweeping motion for whoever maybe in trouble.__The last building that I ran towards I could see the electric blue and white sparks bouncing off the walls and the guy rushing past me but again something inside of me was driving me to find whoever was after him. When I came face to face with the greasy blond hair for lack of a better word demon. Just like in my dreams the white from his eyes was blacken there wasn't any color to his irises at all._

_My body was on autopilot running at a fast charging speed and using the walls from the exterior buildings as a track my shoes was skimming by the surface of the bricks. Then launching myself into the air where I collided with him knocking him backwards into the ground. The hailing of fury fists slamming into my face sent jarring shock waves of sharp blinding pain rocketing into the back of my skull. _

_As his fist connected into my nose splintering the bones inside and blood shooting out of both my mouth and nose. Even through the pain and blood my fist connect into his jaw and the next thing I knew we both was rolling on the ground trying to get the upper hand on each other. Grabbing at his chest, his shirt, what ever I could. I felt the blunt object tuck into his waist of his pants. Grabbing it as fast as I could while we was rolling on the ground in the mud. It came lose and free into my hands. _

_With a quick reaction that I didn't know that I possess and shoving it in just as fast into his chest the blunt object found it's target. Glaring down at me and staggering for his next breath those darken beady eyes glared at me. "A familiar I should have known." He howled out taking his last breath. _

_Pushing myself off of him my body shook from head to toes "What the hell was that." I shouted glaring back down at the bubbling form. All my muscles shook, shaking uncontrollably in my body as I stood there trembling. I had never fought a day in my life and I was still reeling from the pain that I was in. Looking down at the bubbling mass as though acid had been poured on him a fowl smelling stench filled the air. _

_His body lurch forward and the skin melted off his face turning into ash until the form of his body that had been lying on the ground dried up and withered away into nothing. Starring horrifyingly down at the ground the air caught in my throat. "What was that." I whispered again still in shock at the body that was no longer there and from what I had just done._

"_That was a Dracker demon. Disgusting creatures really." Snapping my head up into alarm I turned to the voice who spoken. It was from the man that I had seen outside my home and who seem to follow me around with his whistling. Still wearing his black trench coat and tipping his black hat in my direction. " My name is Aeneas and I am at your service."_


	4. New Student

"_Your the creepy guy who's has been following me around...And you was at my school earlier today...you mean yesterday." He interrupted my ranting his piercing silvery eyes glittering back in amusement._

_'Ugh!' Why do you grown ups do that?" Curling my hands up into tight fists I stalked off heading for home. _

"_Where do you think your going Sarah?" He asked from over my shoulder as I proceeded to walk back towards the direction of the house._

"_Home." I shouted not really caring who all heard me. The sounds of his worn leather boots striking the pavement as he follow, made me tighten my fists even more._

"_Aren't you just a tad bit curious about the kid in your dream Sarah? Those words hit me like a ton of bricks and did just what Aeneas wanted. Stopping me in my tracks. "You know him?"_

_Turning back slowly around his eyes twinkled again in delight._

"_Ah hah that got your interests didn't it and what about the Dracker demon. Don't you want to know why he was after him in the first place."_

"_Grrrrr you gown ups are all the same. Do you know that? You answer a question with a question. Pulling my hair away from my face. I glared back hotly at him and started tapping my foot impatiently for him to get on with it._

"_Well I'm waiting." _

_Letting out a heavy sigh he walk towards me and loop his hand around my elbow and with his other hand fingering the snake's head of his cane. What was bizarre was how strange the eyes of the snake lite up green and the way the body seem to twitch and then glow. The quiet darken street suddenly burst into a yellowish blinding light that made my eyes water from the brightness of it. When my eyes could focus again we was in some kind of house._

_ Okay house was a little bit of an understatement, we was in god forbid a mansion with the largest sizes rooms that I had ever seen. The over head ceiling look like it was the maps to the universe or the very least apart of the _galaxies_, with stars twinkling and glowing. Crescent moons like the ones that I had seen in my dream seem suspended in mid air and if I reach out and touch it. Lifting my arm to do just what I was thinking. Aeneas laughter filled the room reminding me of why I was here in the first place. Even though my eyes felt like they was bugging out, the bigger question was how did I get here? _

" _Well your here for two reasons" __Aeneas__ explained as though he was reading my mind again. "One is because you have just discover that you are a Familiar and two is because of Liam...wait how do you know that I'm...this Familiar?" I asked feeling very unsure of just where this was all going. "What if you made some kind of mistake." It was very clear that this question bother him the most as he shifted uneasily. _

"_Follow me he called out leaving me to follow behind him. "The room that we just enter into is the foyer, but I feel the need to wet my whistle and we can't do that in there now can we? And I assume you could use a tall frosty bowl of milk. He said letting his cane strike down on the ceramic tiles below._

"_Wait a minute I'm not some animal...ow, ow I'm sorry my dear quite presumptuous of me." __Aeneas said sounding a little green around the gills.__ "I'm use to dealing with cats or birds it's been so long since I have dealt with a human."_

"_Not use to dealing with humans.?" I whispered back. "Then hey what are you?"__ Reaching out to grab his arm I was caught completely off guard when he spun around, that I nearly collided into him_

"_I'm the guardian of the familiars.__ There are others like me we play an important role in gathering new Familiars such as yourself. Teaching you what you need to know, so that you can protect those in your service. Such as a new witch, warlock, those who have just come into their powers or even the vampires or their master either way. You are on the front-lines of a war that has surpass those of the ancient druids and even those of the pagan gods." _

_Looking at the hallways there were lines of pictures of whom I was sure was other Familiars. There pristine oil rich paints flowed and coated over the canvas and each picture had a story of their own. Some of the oil paintings showed it's history and age that survived wars that had been forge and lost over the dwindling centuries of time. The one picture that caught my eye was a woman in her late teens. Long flowing red hair, sea blue eyes and freckles on her creamy pale skin. _

_Dress in an eighteenth century royal navy blue sack back gown. That had a sheer neck handkerchief collar and sleeves decorated in ruffles and lace. In her lap looking up at her as though there was some kind of intelligence or deeper understanding going on behind those yellow startling eyes was a long hair black persian cat. Whose paws was outstretched trying to get her mistress attention._

"_Yes Sarah all of the legendary Familiars grace this hall question will be, will your picture be among them?"__ Aeneas said smoothly letting his hand glide over the antique brownish, beige painted walls. His fingertips lightly touching the different picture frames that he came into contact with. The kitchen look as humongous as any dine in restaurant, you know the kinds like Denny's or Golden Corral's or Ponder Rosa _

_Taking deep breaths trying to calm my frazzled nerves, this had to be a mistake. I mean come on he's joking right? Witches, warlocks, vampires and demons, those things are what you see in movies or even read about their not real. "Sarah." He said offering me can of coke. Which if I'm not mistaken is part of the four major food groups along with pizza. _

_Gesturing for me to take a seat at one of the red and black speckled booths that was shape like a crescent moon, my head was still reeling "What about Milton, my younger brother? Awww god my mother is going to kill me." I groaned out laying my head into my open hand and resting my elbow on the harden surface of the table._

"_You say that an awful lot Sarah." Aeneas chuckled out taking another drink of what I assume was his coffee, judging from the steam that was rising from the mug that he lightly sipped. _

"_That's only because you don't know my mother." I grumbled still trying to erase my last encounter that I had with her._

" _The boy from my dream who is he and what was that thing after him." _

_With a quick turn of Aeneas open palm hand, an image of the boy appeared out of thin air about the size from a large plasma screen television. And just like you would expect from any television screen the boy and the demon came to life moving, there bodies hovering a few inches over the table. The hot looking guy was running as though his very life depended on it, and the demon was chasing close behind him a few feet away. _

_With sparks of electricity bursting from the demon's hands bouncing off the alleys walls of brick buildings where I found him. The guy looking just as scared from my dream kept looking over his shoulder as though he was going to die at any minute. They look so real in front of me that this time I did reach out to try and touch them, but my hand went through the two moving bodies as though I was grasping air instead. _

_The picture of the boy change showing him into a young man his rich laughter vibrating off of the room. As my eyes took in every feature, he look know different then any man that I had seen. Sure there was some exceptions, very noticeable exceptions like his Californian honey color sandy blond hair that was braided long in the back making his hair look darker and his dark brown riveting eyes that seem to see into your soul. _

_Unlike what you may have seen at the movies or even have read in books on how witches and vampires dress. I can tell you black caps and cloaks the whole dark image wasn't how he was dress. He was dress in men's stylish stone wash jeans and a black and white collar sports shirt. Uh-huh anyone could see that he had that surfer board build to him and he needed protecting. Somehow with that body ...ow that body no way did he need any help from the likes of me. _

"_His name is Liam Kerrigan and he is the next future legendary wizard, the likes in which this world hasn't seen since the time of Merlin. Assuming of course the Dracker or Mowchier and other demons alike don't get their grimy hands on him first. Polishing off his cup of coffee and__ placing his finger into the empty mug, black swirling liquid pool at the bottom. I couldn't help but stare with my mouth hanging open.__ I mean get real it wasn't everyday you saw stuff like this.__The black swirling liquid that slosh around was slowly rising, a little at a time until it reach the top. It stop when Aeneas pulled out his fingertip. _

_Closing my eyes and taking a few more deep breaths, before I started hyperventilating I open them again, then pinch myself long and hard. "Ouch" I grumbled out rubbing the sore spot on my arm then letting out a sigh. _

"_Your not dreaming Sarah all of this is real." Aeneas said lightly tapping his hand over my wrist." Feigning a weak smile then pointing back to Liam._

"_The reason the demons want the boy so badly, is because he is new and coming into his powers. They want to make him their allies by nudging him into becoming a warlock and if they can't do that then they want to harness his powers by killing him. _

_Throwing my hands up into the air stopping him from going any further. Aeneas raised his eyebrows. " Stop you mean to tell me there's is a difference between a wizard and a warlock?" I couldn't take it any longer. I had to move around this sitting still was driving me crazy, so I got up and started pacing._

_In careful thought he pinch the sides of his mustache and twisted until the wiry whiskers curl upwards. Then waving his hand in the air " Of course there's a difference my dear. Wizards are held in the highest regards because their values and moral beliefs are uncorrupted. They are the very same as they were before the wizard came into their powers, using their magic for good or helping those that maybe in trouble._

_Sadly though warlocks on the other hand, have become corrupt by the very demons that they serve under. Lusting for more and more power to control those around them and using the evilness of their magic to harm those who stands in their way or opposes them. Alas is the true reason of the battle they both have been forging since the beginning of creation of magic. Aeneas said bitterly as though he was reliving some horrifying account. His eyes growing sad and lost in thought. _

_Unable to hold back the yawn that fell from me. I wench in pain from the painful throbbing in my face but feeling so sleepy and weigh down by everything that I learned, my body stretched and yawn again. Lifting up his wrist and looking at the golden watch that was on his pale wrist, Aeneas sighed and clutch his cane before standing. _

_"I should get you home you have school in a few hours and your going to need your rest, but always be mindful. Now that you are aware of the demons and your lack of training makes you an easy target, they are also aware of you and will be hunting for you Sarah. Ow and here you earned this tonight when you killed the Dracker demon." In his outstretched hand was a gold and silver encrust dagger with sapphire gems that ran straight down in a line. _

_The weight of the dagger felt heavy in my hands the metal was cold and jagged. Not really knowing what I was suppose to do with it, my hand clutch around it even tighter as though I was afraid of dropping it or in my case losing it."This was how you killed the Dracker by his own dagger know doubt you should count yourself lucky most Familiars are unable to kill a demon like him on there first night. _

_Getting up from the booth Aeneas led me back into the foyer. His hand pushing on the shoulder of my neck guiding me out as I yawn sleepily again. Fingering the snake's head again the room exploded in yellowish blinding light. When my eyes quit watering I was standing on the curb outside of my house. Tipping the bridge of his black hat. "I'll see you soon Sarah." Aeneas called out softly and with a quick touch to his cane he was gone leaving me to wonder how I was going to get back to my room._

_Looking at the large pine tree that was to the side of the house and jumping up into the air. My hands swung up against the rough sides bark of the trees branch, just to be rewarded. When our neighbor's dog Sam caught sight of me and loudly began barking. Swinging my leg over the one part of the thick trunk of the branch and then pushing myself hard into the other branch I quickly scale the tree._

_If my body already didn't hurt enough from fighting the Dracker. Then it really hurt when a zillion tiny little splinters tore into my skin when I hurled myself onto the roof and back into the open window of my bedroom. Clasping on the bed my eyes drifted shut as soon as my head hit the pillow._

"_Sarah...Sarah...get up Sarah. Your going to be late for school." The annoying shaking of my upper arm and the whining of Milton's voice had me groaning in protest. "Ouch Milton please not so hard." I moaned out as every muscle in my body declare war on me. Rolling over and holding my face in agony I open my swollen eyes that I could barely see out of. _

_My room blurred before I could really focus my eyes and smiling up at me until his own emerald green eyes grew just as big as saucers was Milton. Who had stop bouncing on the bed but chose to leave a questioning hand on my shoulder. "Holy shit Sarah what happen to your face?" Milton said sounding shock and his wondering eyes look over at my chest, then my arms seeing more and more bruisers. Then the dry blood that was cake on my shirt. _

_When mom barge into the room. "Milton honey we should get going I need...Sarah what did you do now?" Mom asked when she approach the bed seeing the same thing that Milton was._

_"I...I fell off the bed." I stutter out, more afraid of mom's reaction. Mom just glared at me then look down at her watch_

"_And all the bruises, your nose looks broken and you expect...ow never mind. When are you going to learn to be more careful like your brother here? You don't see him being so clumsy." Looking angrily back at me she let out a long paused sigh then turn to Milton. "Go downstairs and get me the phone. Because of your sister I'm going to be late for work." Looking sadly back at me Milton got off the bed and race downstairs. _

_Crossing her arms over her chest and looking rather annoyed mom let out another long sigh making me cringe even more. Mom was about two seconds away from blowing a gasket when Milton came back into the room. "I expect you to get out of this bed missy and get yourself clean up by the time I come back in here." Mom said coldly her unfeeling voice sounding crisp like ice. While mom punched in the number to whoever._

_ I threw back the covers on the bed and Milton went over to the dresser pulling out a pair of jeans and a yellow glittery t-shirt and held them out for me. Roughing the silky strand of his hair and trying to smile back at him, his eyebrow shot up when mom left the room. "We are going to talk about this when mom's not home and don't even try feeding me the same crap you feed her. Falling off the bed... Right I'm nine years old, I'm not stupid." He said sadly leaving the room._

_ Pulling out of my clothes was hard washing the blood from my face and hair was even harder. The hot spraying water relax my muscles and felt good going over my skin. The tiny beads of water droplets felt like tiny magical fingers __massaging __away all my aches and pains from last night._

_ Taking away some of the pain from fighting the Dracker demon. Dressing quickly and brushing both my hair, and teeth. I found mom in the kitchen sipping coffee and tapping her foot restlessly by the sink, with the hard set lines in her face she averted her eyes from me when I enter the room._

_With the keys held tightly in her hand she flick them back and forth impatiently. "The sooner I get you to Dr. Walsh the sooner I can get to work." She said impatiently. "Falling off the bed." Heading for the front door mom didn't even glance back at me as she made her way to the Honda Accord. Resting my head on the smooth cold glass window and looking outside, the thick dark, heavy gray clouds hung low and the smell of rain was in the air._

_ A storm was coming when lightening flash across the sky and thundering vibrated off the pavement." I want you to know by me taking time off of work for your clumsiness, this is going to affect my paycheck Sarah...and this is a bill we just can't afford right now." Mom exhaled slowly returning her attention to driving._

_Did all girls have a mother like mine or was I just lucky? Somehow even Milton got there was something more about the bruises then I had let on and jeez he's only nine. As usual mom did all the talking at the doctors office and when Dr. Walsh came into the room he made my mom leave which she was more than happy to scamper away as though being any where near me seem to disgust her. _

"_Okay Sara start talking how did you break your nose." Just as I was about to answer I let out an ear splitting scream "Son of a ….. I stop before I could finish the rest. When he took two fingers from both of his hands and set the bones with a sickening crack, as the pieces snap back into place. Tears welled up into my eyes from the sharp heat, throbbing pain that snake it's way around the bridge of my nose and eyes. _

_ Walking over to the counter he mix a small amount of white powder into the bowl make a very, very, thick looking paste then add some kind of fabric to it. Draping the soggy fabric into the white bowl of goo and draping it over my nose I could feel the sticky warm material hardening. Dr Walsh look down at me expectantly. When he notice the other bruises down my chest and arms leaving the room he called for nurse Gates to come into the room with us. _

_"Help Miss Ashcroft out of her clothes." Dr. Walsh order more sternly his eyes narrowing down at me in a frown. "Young lady you have some explaining to do? Is your mother doing this to you?" He said examining my back. From the sharp inhale of air I knew he was upset. Disapprovingly Dr. Walsh shook his head and flip open his note pad. " Nobody did this to me." I flared out feeling more scared then I had in my entire life, even fighting the Dracker demon wasn't this bad. "I fell off the bed that's all that I did." No one did this to me."__I motion with my hand towards the bruises. _

_Jumping off of the bed I pulled my clothes back on and met my irate mother out in the hallway of the exam room. "The doctor thinks you did this to me." I sneered at her, storming out of the doctors office. A couple of seconds latter mom found me sitting in the car waiting for her to take me to school. As soon as she got in the car and fasten her seat belt and started the car and pulling into the direction of the school campus. I took a breath of relief but even then that was short lived._

"_This is all your fault Sarah." Mom howl out towards me her eyes glaring daggers, then darting towards the road. "Now they think I'm an abuser. God what next. It's a good thing your father isn't here to see all the trouble you have cause." She hissed back. "And what a disappointment you are." _

_When the school building came into sight before the car had come to a screeching halt. I jump out feeling the tears at the back of my eyes. "Well it's a good thing I'll be eighteen soon. Because then I can move out." I yelled right back at her, shutting her up. "I'll see you when get off of work and I'll pay for the doctor's visit so you don't have to worry about dipping into your check book." With that I slammed the car door marching into the school office and grabbing my tardy slip._

_ Mr. _Eggleston was standing at the counter with the tardy slip in his hand. When I charge in, but the expression he had was that of concern and a friend instead of one worn by a principle. "Uh Sarah we have a new student and he is in almost all of your classes could you please take him to his next period class?" Mr. Eggleston said softly his eyes sweeping over my face.

"Sure Mr. Eggleston."I replied weakly back at him shrugging my shoulders that was holding my books. "Sarah this Liam _Kerrigan He is a transferring student from Rustling Falls High School, in Bend Oregon. That had me snapping my head up. Trying to play it cool I slowly turned around and ow god was he devilishly handsome. It was the same boy that Aeneas and I had spoke of just last night and the picture that Aeneas created just didn't do him any justice. Liam was a little scrawny then his adult self but god was he still amazing. A hint of amusement twinkle in those rich brown eyes of his while my face heated up, glowing know doubt a crimson red._

"_Hi I'm Sarah." I said trying to sound friendly but still unable to take my eyes off of him. Please don't let me do anything incredible stupid such as embarrass myself I thought._

"_I'm Liam by the way." Looking around the school as I held the door open he follow me out into the hallway. Surprisingly every time I glanced at him from the corner my eye I would catch Liam staring back. Those deep shade of browns was twinkling softly back at me, then I would catch a small glimpse of those pearly whites of his._

_We had just rounded the corner of the hallway to _Mr. Jenkins class. When Liam stop me clasping my hand firmly into his, making my heart race.

"Thank you." He said softly not giving me a chance to pull away and not easing up the pressure on my hand.

Now I was the one confused as I squint my eyes back and looking over towards him.

"For what?" I ask smoothly, play it cool Sarah my brain scream out. He's only thanking you because your walking him to class, my brain reason.

"For last night. For saving me." Liam said quietly and shuddering hard as though the Dracker demon scared him more then he let on.

"So you know who I am?" I asked feeling disappoint. "Damn why couldn't Liam like me because of me. I wonder sadly.

Shrugging his shoulders Liam smile grew even bigger. "Yeah well it would seem we both have a strange friend in common."

Chucking I knew just who he meant the one and only _Aeneas. "They didn't make them any stranger then he is." I laugh out loud causing Liam to do the same. His voice was so deep and rich that he just took me off guard._

"_Yeah well he is a strange bird." Liam agreed. "Anyway I just wanted to say thanks and sorry about what happen to your face. I could heal you, if you want me to." He said looking around nervously making sure the coast was clear. _

"_Nah." I shook my head. "Way to many people have already seen it anyways. Besides don't all the bruises kinda make me look cool." I tried joking but he didn't share my amusement." _

_I don't know about looking cool Sarah but your right. If I healed you it would draw unnecessary attention and not just the human kind. Every time I try and use my powers or try casting spells it seems to draw you know uh...he said looking back over his shoulder.__Then closing the gap and follow me towards class. _

"_No your right and if you know who... can sense you using... you know what then it's safer if you don't. If you catch my meaning." I said quietly just as we made it to Mr. Jenkins room. Who of course decide to glue his eyes to my chest. Feeling _uncomfortable _I cross my arms over myself and took the slip to him. _

"_Mr. Jenkin's we have a new student. This is Liam Kerrigan." Dropping the slip on his desk I found my seat. When yep you guessed it _Melanie Griffin started in on me. It started out with her rolling her eyes at me then she got bolder and reached over and pulled my hair. I mean I was doing everything I could to ignore her and she couldn't or wouldn't leave well enough alone.

'Right Kerrigan take a seat by Sarah if you don't mind." Mr. Jenkins rumbled out. When Liam turn towards me I couldn't help giving him a quick smile when he took the next seat that was beside me. Melanie had decided to turn on the charm.

"To bad you have to sit by White Oaks Town freak." She tossed up an apologetic smile towards Liam, who shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

The next thing that I felt, was someone grabbing a handful of my hair and yanking it hard. Again my tattoo flared to life. The heat coursing threw my arm and before I had knew what I was doing. I whip around my seat so fast latching onto Melanie's wrist with my hand curling my fingers around her wrist. With a quick jerk and from the unnatural angle that her wrist was in she made agonizing face.

"Knock it off freak." Her eyes looking around in shock, then glaring back at me. " This isn't over... Just so you know this isn't over" Her voice was rising to a higher level and catching Mr. Jenkin's attention who started eye balling me. "Touch me again and next time I'll break it." I said softly, wondering if Melanie had even heard me. Just as fast as my temper flared, it quickly died down and I release her hand. Leaving her to hang her mouth open with surprise. _"ooOOoo!" The other kids in my class echo and then I heard Kimberly who sat up front and I could see the smugness on her face as she smiled back at Melanie. "Melanie got burn, Melanie got burned." Erupting into a side splitting, gut wrenching laugh Kimberly's eyes twinkle and dance with delight._

_"Settle down class." Mr. Jenkin's said calmly casting a frowning, disapproving gaze at me that scrunch up his forehead . _


	5. Feline Friends

___Liam brought a steady calm to my rather rocky morning. It was easy to be around him much easier then what I thought it would be. When the lunch bell rang Melanie brush past slamming her shoulder into my back and forearm. She had the same in your face attitude that she had during first period. Crappy which usually spelled out trouble for me. The line for the salad was small, Liam and I had just gotten our lunch trays. He had gotten the pizza surprise if the demons didn't kill him then our cafeteria food would. _

_"__over there is where the football-team hangs out with the cheerleaders. It pays to be a jock in this town. Anybody who is anybody is on the football-team. Like Melanie and Garret"_

_"__Well your somebody Sarah." Liam said softly, but I still heard him anyways._

___Ow your right I'm the town...Sarah your more then that. Your my familiar, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you._

_"__Jeez will you quit going around saying that. What if somebody hears you?" We both kinda looked around making sure that no one did. And my face was still heating up and turning a few shades red, it was the way Liam had said it. I was his familiar, like he really took pride in it. Liam broke off from me and headed over to where Garret was, to eat his lunch. As for me well I made my way outside to the food court to eat my greens under my favorite spot._

___The dark threatening clouds had grown thicker fuller in size and if possible even more grayer. The darken cloud cover hung lower in the sky and the sun was now mostly block out. The other kids on the food court went about the their daily routine of playing basketball on the basketball court. Someone had brought their stereo and was playing the music really loud the thumping of the base was vibrating on the brick building of the school. The tunes was popping and the rap dancers was showing off their latest break dancing moves. _

___Blocking out the hip hop sounds from the stereo. My ears began ringing very loudly that it was almost painfully making me flinch. When the ringing had stop distant chanting of words flowing almost in a musical harmony. But the words or their meaning I couldn't understand. They reminded me of priests and monks in cathedral churches chanting some kind of prayer. The feelings that I got from the sounds was dark, creepy like an unseen chill wrapping her icy invisible fingertips around my neck making me shiver but nothing was there. _

___The Tattoo must have also felt it because it was coming to life but not with warm honey like sensation it was though the eye of the tattoo could see something that I couldn't because it burn, burn like hell. Invisible flames was licking and caressing my skin. _

_There was danger; danger was close by judging from the heat that was pouring off of my arm, it was some unseen presence. Feeling the need to check on Liam I made my way back inside the school cafeteria. He was sitting beside Garret and _Zachary who was giving him a play by play of their signature moves. Liam even seem to be fitting in, looking around the lunch room nothing was out of place or out of the ordinary.

"Maybe the tattoo was off today." I grumbled rubbing the burning in my arm. Suddenly I was being grab by the back of the hair and being drag back out to the food court. My first thought it was one of the demons or monster that _Aeneas warned me about. There was no such luck when I turned around instead there Melanie, Heather, Julie and of course Meagan._

_"Told you that your little stunt this morning wasn't over. Meagan keep a watch for the teachers." Melanie flicker her eyes to Meagan who look like she was going to say something to stop all this._

_"Whatever I'm outta here." Meagan said not wanting to be the target of Melanie's wrath went and stood by the cafeteria's double doors. _

_"Melanie I'm not in the mood for any of your shit right now. I've had a really bad day." Glaring at her amused face she stood there with her hands cross over her chest. _

_"To bad freaky Sarah because your day is about to get a whole lot worse." The tighten in my stomach, the feeling of butterflies making me sick. Yep there was going to be a fight._

_"What could be possible worse then having to deal with a bitch like you everyday." I wasn't really sure where that came from. I had only been thinking it when the harsh words shot out of my mouth. Then my right fist struck out hitting her in the mouth catching us both by surprise._

_"Fight...fight...fight.." Heather and Julie chanted._

_Melanie's movements was slow. I could see what she was going to do before she did anything. Then my left fist having a mind of it's own clip her in the stomach. Roaring like a banshee Melanie tackled me to the ground. Her legs wedge at my waist when she raised her right fist slamming it into my cheek then her left hitting my lip. Raising both of my legs and getting them past her head she was thrown off and the position was reversed and I was straddle over her. _

_My fist was slamming into her face one right after the other. It was as if all the years of her bulling me was coming out. The name calling, being teased, the hair pulling, and all the times that she hit me and got away with it, was coming out through my fists._

_"Sarah!." That one word Sarah. Hearing the sound of my name coming from Liam broke the daze that I was under. Snap me mentally out of it and my fist stop and I look shakily down at Melanie who was covered in her own blood._

_Getting up and not looking at anyone I ran just as fast as my legs would carry to the girls bathroom wedging the metal garbage can blocking the door. When I stood in front of the mirror to wash the blood off of my hands. I looked up at the girl in the mirror who look just like me._

_"What's happening to me." I cried out not understanding what was going on._

_"Magic." A voice whispered. "Your busting with magic Sarah and changing." _

_ Somehow, someway I was changing I could feel it. The change was in the pit of my stomach working it's way up. Out there on the food court I was fast, faster then I had ever been. I fought as though I had been fighting my entire life when in truth I had never fought before until just recently. Even then Melanie should have won instead of being the one who got pounded on._

_The quick slid of the metal garbage can being removed from the door by invisible hands made me jump. ____But the flowing warmth of honey flowing through my tattoo calm my frazzled nerves. I was on the boarder line of hyperventilating if I didn't get these weird emotions under control. When the door open I was ready to pounce when invisible hands pushed me into the wall. Keeping me in place when Mrs. Johnson came in and removed the invisible barrier._

_"__It's magic Sarah all Familiars has it. Grant it, it's a lower level form of magic, but it does serve it's purpose in keeping us safe. Umm... alerting us to hidden dangers but you have to learn how to control yours. Before you get Liam notice by those who wish to control him or worse." _

_"__You knew and you didn't tell me?"_

___Threading her fingers in front of herself together. Mrs. Johnson look back at me with hesitation in her eyes._

_"__Well how could I? I didn't even know for sure myself of what you were until I spoken to Aeneas. Now all that's in the past._

___Throwing my hands out in front to stop her I started pacing around in the small bathroom._

_"__Your kidding right? All in the past I just found yesterday that...that I'm this grrrr... Familiar and your saying it's all in the past. Ugh...everything is happening to fast._

_"__Well of course it is. What do you think __Mowchier's or Phanger's demons just sit around the underworld twiddling their talons all day, just so a new Familiar can get on the job training? No of course not they strike hard and we have to hit back just as hard."_

_Mrs. Johnson was watching me closely, as though she was waiting for the next explosive reaction. She was right I had to get a grip if I wanted to protect Liam. Wait a minute when did that change? Now all of a sudden that's all I wanted to do more than anything. That instinct of protecting him out weigh everything. I felt driven to my very core giving my life if needed. _

_The ringing in my ears hummed again. The whole bathroom spun around me making me feel dizzy. I couldn't hear Mrs. Johnson anymore as colors swirled around my vision. It was the loud dark cryptic chanting, sounding as though it was coming from monks and priests. Don't ask me how I knew but the messages was bleak and dark. I felt as though I was in the presence of evil it self, one that I couldn't put a face or a name to. Yet if one thing was clear they was calling out to me. _

_Mrs. Johnson came towards me as my legs gave out from under me. I couldn't hear what she was saying from the ominous chanting that was happening in my ears. But as she moved her hands lights and colors swirled off of her fingertips. The chanting stop when she touch my wrist and everything in the bathroom was back to being the way it should be. _

_"They was summoning you wasn't they Sarah?" The look she gave me was one of sympathy a mutual understanding._

_"i think so I could hear all this chanting." I shivered from the coldness of it and the icy chill that had snake it way up my back._

_'The reaction that you are having is from very old powerful dark magic. It must becoming from a warlock and several of them." _

_"After school today take Liam and go and see ____Aeneas. He needs to expedite your training call it a crash course if you want but it still needs to be done. Now go on to class."_

___Squeezing my wrist one more time Mrs. Johnson walk out of the bathroom leaving me to pick myself off the floor. A few minutes latter after I had left the girls bathroom I found Liam he was standing at the lockers putting his books away. He must have sense that I had came out of the bathroom, but he didn't leave the lockers nor was he pressuring for answers. Instead he smile warmly at me and his eyes twinkled with a shine. "Had I put that there? Stop it Sarah." I chided myself._

_"__Mrs. Johnson wants us to see Aeneas after school today something about accelerating my training."_

___Dropping his head he close the locker and turned leaned on it watching me again, his brown eyes darkening even more._

_"__Yeah I know she gave me the same lecture to. Told me that I have to practice my spell casting without being detected." Seems like we are both going to Familiars training 101._

_The rest of the day went fast and every time that I bump into Melanie she back off. If she saw me walking from one corridor of the school she would take the opposite, for once Melanie was avoiding me. The fight must have made an impression because who would have ever thought the all star quarter back town hero, Garret would try flirting with me. Let alone get close enough to actually say hi and here he was attempting to make small talk. _

_When school was out Liam and I wasn't to sure where we was suppose to meet ____Aeneas at. So we wait in front of the school and just like yesterday a orange and white calico kitten appeared. Then a speckled brown, reddish orange, and black dark color tortoiseshell adult female cat and before I knew it the entire front lawn was more and more cats making the same caterwauling sounds. What was even weirder was how many kept brushing against me or trying to get into my lap._

_"__Wow Sarah I... uh...uh...never seen anyone like cats as much as you do." Liam said laughing._

___Not really understanding what was happening. I chucked my books at him, making Liam laugh even harder. When I fell because one of the damn felines thought it would be cute to trip me._

_"__I don't even like cats." I hissed out when I tried to stand, just to have more of the feline devils pounce me._

___The taping of the cane made the cats sit up into attention. The ones that was on me climb off and took their seat a few feet away from Aeneas's feet._

_"__Sarah is not ignoring you, she just doesn't know who you are yet." He said softly looking down at them. Then one black cat stood up and meow loudly his eyes looking at Aeneas, then slowly turning his head to look at me._

_"__No Sarah has no clue you are a Familiar and can help her._

_"__Wait a freaking minute, all of them are Familiars...and...and..and their trying to help me." I screamed out. "What are they going to do meow someone to death?" The same black cat that had stood was now glaring at me and in those yellows of his. The iris seem to get bigger as though it was thinking. Color swirl around him making his sleek black body shimmer. The freaking cat was changing on the front lawn of the school. In front of me and Liam. As the body of the feline stretch and pulled it twisted this way then that way until the a human form slowly appeared. Naked but human. Aeneas took off his trench coat tossing it at the naked strange guy, who materialized from being a cat. _

_"__My name is Solamh and I don't appreciate being talk down to when I have been watching your back side for years now. Along with the other adult members of your family. That's what we are you know your family. Patting Liam on his shoulder and picking up my books I started heading for home. "Witches maybe, warlocks and wizards same goes for them. But fucking talking cats that can change forms, now I know I'm losing my mind." I screamed out, picking up my pace walking in the direction of home._

_"__Sarah!" My name came out almost in a panic but it had the same affect as it did earlier stopping me in my tracks when Liam called out to me. The gentle pressure of his hand on my shoulder said so much. Just like me Liam was going through the same thing the only difference instead of talking cats he was dealing with people trying to kill._

_"__Not all of us can carry human form, but we all have a job to do. Haven't you been reading about who and more importantly what we are. Solamh asked studying me. His hair was jet black, his eyes was the bright startling yellow as it had been in cat form._

_"__I just found out last night and I'm suppose to know all this stuff in less then twenty four."_

_"__That because it your job as a human familiar to not only take care of your wizard but to care for those of us who can't change forms. That's why we keep coming to you seeking shelter, food. Ahhh comfort until Aeneas can collect those of us who don't have charges. That's the role human Familiars provide. _

___I was getting mad this was just way to much to take in. I could handle protecting Liam, hell I even wanted to protect him. But the cats now that was a separate story altogether. They was asking to much I was just an ordinary girl there wasn't anything special about me. I was going to be eighteen soon and go off to collage just like all the other kids my age._

_"__That's a nice fantasy of yours, but none of it's true." Aeneas said sounding thoughtful. "Your anything but ordinary and yes you are special, one with gifts. Your future is brighter then those going off to school, you will see more, do more then they ever will. Ordinary." He said sounding indignant. "Ordinary you are not." _

_"__And what are you a mind reader or something, because this isn't the first time you have said what I was thinking out loud."_

___Curling the wiry whiskers up with his fingers Aeneas slowly smiled giving me a wink but didn't answer the question._

_"__Now that this drama is over, might I suggest we take this back to the great hall of Familiars a more private setting. Solamh you and the full litter can stay there until Sarah here has learn how to manage her duties."_

___Bowing his head respectfully to Aeneas. Solamh eyes grew bright and second by _milli___second his body seem to shrink, losing the height that he had. His body shimmered twisting this way then that way. Until the coat which Aeneas caught in his outstretched hand. Before it could hit the feline body that was now on all four.____Within a blink of an eyes one cat after the other in a white light disappeared._

_"__Sarah take Liam's hand." Threading our fingers together Liam shot me a puzzled look his hand felt warm in mine. Soft but yet strong I notices even the texture on his skin was rough and calloused as though he had work hard over the years. Noticing that he was still watching, my face turned a beat red. Don't make it more then what it is. Your just his Familiar again those words made me blush even more. _

___To distract myself from Liam's watchful eyes and his cheesy grin. Aeneas just started fingering the head of the snake on his cane the eyes lite up into a bright green and the tail moved up and down twitching while the body glowed. A bright blinding light making my eyes water took us back to the hall of Familiars. Unlike last night the foyer was bustling with activity. _

___It look like everyone had decided to dress up for Halloween or something. There was vampires, werewolves at least I think they were werewolves. More freaking glorious cats, birds flapping around, people, sprites and ugh...ugh...it was just to damn much to take in. Even Liam look like he was in shock because he grip my hand hard and if I didn't know any better he would have ran off, if I hadn't been standing next to him._


End file.
